Thinking about purchasing a rebuilt title 2006 Viper, what do you think?

[TalonTSi90]

No pics after all this time?

 

[Morketh]

No pics after all this time?

Here you are, only thing I've done is change the hood to gen 4

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[TalonTSi90]

Oh damn, thats nice. Other than car ads, where does one find a rebuilt titled car? Or a car that needs work and would be a rebuilt titled car?

 

[Morketh]

Oh damn, thats nice. Other than car ads, where does one find a rebuilt titled car? Or a car that needs work and would be a rebuilt titled car?

Get on facebook and join Viper Owners association and Viper Club of America and Dodge Viper Parts - Buy/Sell/Trade groups.
They are posted on there all of the time.
Before I knew about that though I found mine on auto trader.

FYI this is what mine looked like before they fixed it: http://www.vipertruckregistry.com/VR_Pages/VR-01160.html

I bought it for $36,800. After it was all said and done I spent a total of $44,000

Below is the list of everything I did, mostly all done because the car was from 2006 and I doubt anyone had done any of it before with 12,000 miles on it.
bought brand new wheel, other 3 wheels were reconditioned
Power Steering Flush
Clutch Fluid Change
Oil Change
Tires changed
Transmission Fluid Changed
Rear Differential Fluid Changed
Short Throw Shifter
Engine Coolant Flushed
Clutch interlock switch recall
Battery changed
Rear knuckle supports installed
Window regulators replaced in both windows
Reset TPMS after tires installed

 

[TalonTSi90]

Holy crap dude, thanks, i didnt know there was more than one FB group...

 

[Morketh]

Holy crap dude, thanks, i didnt know there was more than one FB group...

No worries, there are prolly a few more on facebook just do a few viper searches and find them and then be patient. I see at least 1 or 2 rebuilts a month. Always haters for rebuilt titles saying not to buy but check the car over and if the price is right for you you can get a really good deal.

 

[steve e]

Morketh, good looking car.

 

[TalonTSi90]

What are your opinions on fixing something like this thats so old? http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...archRadius=0&makeCode1=DODGE&modelCode1=VIPER

 

[Morketh]

What are your opinions on fixing something like this thats so old? http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...archRadius=0&makeCode1=DODGE&modelCode1=VIPER

If I were going to buy it myself I'd just check it out, see what some of the main parts it needs and then source them before I can buy to see what kind of cost I'm looking at. I see people selling Gen2 parts all the time though. I'd suggest posting that on those viper boards on FB and asking some much better mechanically inclined people than I though.

 

[TalonTSi90]

Cool thanks

 

[Bonkers]

I also do not understand why so many people actually are worried
about rebuilt titles, if there is some major reason people shy away
from that then let me know.

To most car guys a "rebuilt" car is usually worth less than a wrecked
car (adjusted for added parts value) simply because once a car is
put back together and repainted a decent body-guy can hide severe,
untreated damage VERY easily. If you dont know the damage, or the
history, or the guy who did the repairs then ANY rebuilt car is really
only worth the parts youre buying - everything else is a gamble.

Where to find wrecked rebuilt cars?

Talon - the "easiest" place to find cars with branded titles are club
forums like this and Ebay. If you dont mind the red tape and the
eyeball stabbing bull**** that follows, sites like Copart and Iaai
seem to always have a Viper or two (or whats left of them) listed.
From there 3rd party breakers like Cleveland Power or EconomyNJ
offer wrecked cars to the public under salvage (check local laws.)

As someone with experience do NOT BUY a wrecked/rebuilt Viper
unless you are okay with a blemished car. I have over $70,000
in mine so far (FAR more than itll ever be worth) and I still routely
get critized by the 124pnt *****. If you want a car to drive, or race,
have decent mechanical skills (viper techs are not cheap) and can
deal with a black-eye here and there, then a branded titled car is a
great way to save some cash.

 

[TalonTSi90]

Another stigma is that most cats with a rebuilt title were totaled out by the Ins company and therefore usually not safe to drive even after being rebuilt. What I've learned in the last couple months of info soaking is that, Vipers are fairly exclusive and expensive to fix. So, if the Ins company doesn't understand this, a cracked bumper cover can lead to a total out. When I was hit on my bike, the adjuster admitted this was the first one he had even seen let alone estimated and that since they hadnt seen any others there really was no way to properly value it because the values had dropped out from under the retail pricing. Luckily, my local dealer and the adjuster and I worked together very well and I got the keep the bike, fix it myself and get the max money possible without getting it totalled out.

Last time I checked, in KY you have to show the price of parts and work performed in order to obtain a rebuild title. Not sure how this would work with an out of state rebuilt title as I haven't asked yet.

So, with the knowledge I've gained recently, a rebuilt Viper isn't out of my realm of consideration, I'd get one before I got a red one lol.

 

[Bonkers]

Most insurance companies are required to rebuild a car with new
factory (or factory equivilant) parts. Therefore a cracked hood on
any Gen1/2 is at least $20,000 if (and "if" is the important word
in this sentence) they can even find one. Add in facia ($4000)
side sills ($5000/ea) wheels ($1500/ea) paint ($5-10,000) labor,
headlights, glass, air bags, misc parts, ect... and even a pristene
$50,000 GTS becomes a write off REALLY quick. To those of us
not afraid of hours on CL and comfortable with a wrench those
costs come way, way down. So depending on what you want out
of your car, a salvage can be a great way to go so long as you
can accept some blemishes.

As for the title, once an Auto Theft Unit validates the vehicles
recontruction and safety you should be able to simply transfer
the title over just like any other title. ATUs tend to honor other
ATUs assessments on face value. Assuming KY allows rebuilt
vehicles to be tagged, I cant see how it would be any different.
"Rebuildable" titles are a whole other nightmare. Just head to
the ATU office wearing a tutu because getting a Rebuildable
turned into a Rebuilt title will require dancing of some sort.
As a newbie to wrecked cars I can only advise staying as far
away as possible from "Rebuildable" "Stripped Theft" "Flood"
and "Grey Market" titles until youve gone through ATU at
least 2 or 3 times first.

Good Luck.

 

[TalonTSi90]

Yea, you won't find me touching a flood car lol.